“Get over it, Marlie,” I breathe the words out loud into the empty room, empty apartment, and empty life. “Jeeze, when did you become an emo over a boy?” I could kick my own ass for being a Debbie Downer. Since this isn’t helping anything in the least, I stand up, the room more of a mess than it was before, knowing that I’ll have to come back to it. I decided to do something else, hence the rumbling in my stomach that’s been going on for an hour. There’s zilch in the way of food. I’ll just shop my way through the “great depression of Marlie’s existence.” What a foul mood I’m in. I can barely stand my own company.
Maybe my dad was right, and a cat or a dog would be a good idea. Not only will it make me step away from work, but it would also be great company. The ringing of my cell phone that’s been quiet all week interrupts me. It’s probably a good thing, or I’d be at the shelter, well, after food, that is.
CHAPTER TEN
tanner
“Fucking finally, man,” is how I answer the phone when Ridge calls me back. Yes, I’m a complete and total dickhead for calling, emailing, and texting him on his honeymoon, but I fucked up. And out there is a woman who I will do anything for to fix my wrong-doing.
“What’s up? You’re never this anxious,” Ridge says casually on the other end of the line.
“Did you read or listen to my messages?” I question, annoyed, and I’m the only one to blame.
“Check your phone, dumbass, and you’d see I sent you Marlie’s contact info. How’d you fuck up this badly anyway?”
“Not all of us have skinny fingers like you, prick,” I reply, realizing that I should have let Marlie put her number into my phone. I’ve tried calling her studio, which took some digging and a shit ton of begging towards my sister to find that piece of information. Hell, I even called, and it went straight to voicemail saying she was currently on vacation and would return phone calls next week. The auto response on her emails was much the same.
“Oh shit, before you call Marlie, let Taylor do some damage control.” Fuck, this is what I expected but not what I want to hear.
“Might not be a bad idea. Between you, Taylor, and Leena, I’m racking up favors.” My sister Leena, the youngest of all five kids, is a saint. She’s also overprotected and annoyed by us nine times out of ten. Leena’s also looking at me with a deadly glare in her eyes across from me at the office.
“Leena will never let you live it down, you know that, right?” he asks.
“You’re not wrong, and it won’t be one favor, it’ll be about twenty. I’d like to say I’m sorry about pestering the hell out of you during your honeymoon, but I’m not.”
“Not like I answered, so I’m not worried about it,” he responds. Leena points at her watch, telling me I’m going to be late for my next project manager meeting, but I give zero shits. It’s with our brothers and to see how we’re doing timeline wise, what needs to be ordered, and what crews need help. Sometimes, we’ll step in and work right along with them, especially if projects are overlapping, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they are after the shit ton of work we took on right before the holidays. See, the five of us own the construction company, with me as the majority shareholder since it was my cash that started it up. That doesn’t mean they don’t put the blood, sweat, and tears in it, and it’s definitely not to hold over their heads either.
“Did you at least have a good time?” I ask, trying not to be a selfish prick.
“The best. Honeymoon sex is out of this world.” I laugh, deep and throaty, catching another glare from my sister, who is starting to get ragey, so I know I’ll need to wrap this conversation.
“That’s not at all what I asked about, but good to know. Let me know when Taylor has a chance to catch up with Marlie. I owe you one.” Gathering the files I’ll need for the meeting, I’m not about to get on my baby sister’s nerves. I’ll leave that for Keller to do.
“I’ll take a bourbon, and you can thank me when you have Marlie like I have my Taylor.” I take a deep breath, inhaling deeply before letting it out. My chest puffs up with air, the tightening inside eating me up and churning over the fact that Ridge could very well be right as long as I can make shit right with Marlie.
“Yeah, a whole fuckin’ bottle if that’s the case,” I respond.